USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - Bishop Franklin's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Martin J. Amos Named Bishop of Davenport; Pope Names Two Auxiliary Bishops for Archdiocese of Boston

Bishop Franklin's Resignation Accepted, Bishop Martin J. Amos Named Bishop of Davenport; Pope Names Two Auxiliary Bishops for Archdiocese of Boston

WASHINGTON (October 11, 2006) — Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Bishop William E. Franklin, 76, of Davenport and appointed Auxiliary Bishop Martin J. Amos of Cleveland as his successor.

The Pope named Reverend John A. Dooher, pastor of St. Mary's Church, Dedham, MA, and Reverend Robert F. Hennessey, pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Church, East Boston, as Auxiliary Bishops of Boston.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made the announcements.

Martin John Amos was born in Cleveland on December 8, 1941.

He was educated at Benjamin Franklin elementary school, James Ford Rhodes high school, Borromeo Seminary College, Wickliffe, and St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland. He holds a Master of Science in Education.

Bishop Amos was ordained a priest of the Cleveland diocese, May 25, 1968.

He held several pastoral assignments after ordination, and later became academic dean of Borromeo Seminary High School.

Bishop Amos was serving as parochial vicar of St. Dominic Church, Shaker Heights, when he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland, April 3, 2001.

William E. Franklin was born May 3, 1930, in Parnell, IA. He studied at Loras College and St. Bernard Seminary, Dubuque, and was ordained a priest of the Dubuque archdiocese, February 4, 1956. He was appointed Titular Bishop of Surista and Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque on January 29, 1987. He was appointed Bishop of Davenport on November 12, 1993.

Both newly appointed Auxiliary Bishops of Boston are graduates of St. John's Seminary College in the Boston suburb of Brighton. Bishop-elect Dooher received an A.B in 1965 and a Master of Divinity in 1969. Bishop-designate Hennessey earned an A.B in 1974 and a Master of Divinity in 1978.

John A. Dooher was born May 3, 1943 in Boston. He was ordained May 21, 1969, at Holy Cross Cathedral, Boston. He has been a pastor, an administrator, and director of the Office of Spiritual Development. He was appointed Pastor of St. Mary's Church, Dedham, in 1996. He has been President of the Priests' Senate and member and moderator of the Presbyteral Council.

Robert Francis Hennessey was born in Boston, April 20, 1952. He was ordained May 20, 1978, in Holy Cross Cathedral. He has been an administrator, a pastor, and served with the St. James the Apostle Missionary Society. Pastor of Holy Redeemer Church since 1994, he is currently serving on the Clergy Personnel Board and the Presbyteral Council.